The invention generally relates to semiconductor manufacturing and, more particularly, relates to methods for debonding a device substrate from a carrier substrate.
Wafer thinning has been driven by the need to make packages thinner to allow for stacking and high density packaging of chips, and in conjunction with the fabrication of through silicon vias used in stacking. Once thinned, the backside of a device substrate may be subjected to additional operations. To lend mechanical support to the device substrate during thinning and to the thinned device substrate after thinning, the surface of the device substrate bearing the integrated circuits may be adhesively bonded in a temporary manner to a carrier substrate. After the device substrate has been processed in its bonded condition, the substrates are separated by a debonding process. One approach for debonding the device substrate from the carrier substrate relies on a liquid chemical agent, such as a solvent, to dissolve the adhesive temporarily bonding the substrates together.
Improved methods are needed for debonding a device substrate from a carrier substrate.